


Conversations in the Dark

by junko



Series: Closing the Distance [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 06:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14688615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: Hisagi pops by the Sixth with a cupcake emergency; Byakuya convinces Soi Fon to arrange a visit to Aizen in Muken.





	Conversations in the Dark

Renji’s afternoon shift was fairly uneventful. He was on the last hour stretch, looking forward to finishing so he could find out how Byakuya got on at the Second, when Shūhei Hisagi stuck his head into the main lieutenant’s office.

He was wearing his usual sleeveless uniform, showing off his lean, muscular frame and those deadly, explosive arm bands. Renji always wondered where Hisagi got those, because he sort of suspected the Shiba and their fondness for incidinary devices.

“Oh, hey. You’re still here!” Hisagi said brightly. His smiled crinkled the edges of the jagged scars on the right side of his face.

"Yep--" Renji began, then it suddenly occurred to him what Hisagi might be after. He lurched guiltily to his feet and, glancing over his shoulder, tried to will a back exit into existence so he could make a quick getaway. Not seeing one, he raised his hands in surrender, “Oh! Hey, look, I thought I had another week! I haven’t even started my article on shikai for the Seireitei Comminqué--”

“Nah, man. It’s all good. You still have plenty of time,” Hisagi said. Though he wagged a finger at Renji, “You should get started, though. You tend to need a lot of editing.”

Renji frowned at the jab, but relaxed. “Right. So, what brings you my way, Shū?”

“A cupcake emergency.”

“A what?”

Even Nanako glanced up from her paperwork curiously.

Hisagi perched his butt on the edge of Renji’s desk, careful not to disturb any of the papers. He crossed his bare arms in front of his chest and frowned. “My captain had a stressful week. He sorts of… stress bakes. Anyway, the upshot is that the Ninth is drowning in cupcakes and need some relief. You think your people would be up for like six dozen red velvet cupcakes? They’re really good! Pretty, too! The captain has this new frosting piping thingamajig.”

Renji didn’t want to admit to not knowing what a ‘cupcake’ was, exactly, since it obviously had the word cake in it and involved frosting and Hisagi seemed to be offering them up free of charge. “Yeah, we’d take ‘em. You’re really just giving these things away?”

“Well, I mean, someone has to come over and pick them up, but, yeah, Captain Muguruma even made these nice boxes for them.” Hisagi pulled a notebook out from his shitagi. Hunting through the handleless mug on Renji’s desk until he found a chewed on stub of a pencil, he licked the tip and poised over his notebook. “So... I can put you down for six dozen?”

“Yeah, whatever works. Honestly, you could put us down for as many as you need to off-load,” Renji offered. 

Hisagi leapt up. “Wait, really? You’d take them all?”

“It’s a big Division,” Renji said with a shrug. “I’ll just make some kind of announcement and put them out in the mess hall.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Renji,” Hisagi said. “I thought I was going to have to go begging around the entire Gotei and take orders all afternoon.”

Renji caught Nanako’s eye and told her, “You think you can rustle up a crew to go fetch these cake things, Third Seat?” To Hisagi, he asked, “We gonna need a cart, or what?”

Hisagi shrugged. “It might not hurt.”

Renji nodded. “You can handle it, right, Nanako?”

“Yes, sir! Cupcake duty sounds like the kind of thing a girl could put on her resume,” she hopped up from her desk and gave him a smart salute. 

“Oi, smartass,” Renji teased her. “Consider yourself promoted to the morale committee.” Once she was out of the room, Renji felt he needed to explain. “I’d go myself, only, the captain has been at this big meeting over at the Second and I’m kind of anxious to hear how all that went down.”

Hisagi nodded. “Honestly, I’m impressed. I suck at delegating.”

Renji didn’t say anything to that because Hisagi was his friend, but it was kind of obvious that Hisagi had been running that newspaper by himself since Captain Tousen’s betrayal. Renji gestured to the seat opposite and sat himself back down in his Western-style swivel chair. “Yeah, speaking of needing to relax at little, you got plans for the Hanami?”

Pulling out the chair opposite Renji’s desk, Hisagi sat down. “Not really. I think Kira was making noises about inviting us up to his family’s place again, but I was thinking I’d stay around and catch up on some work.”

“Yeah, well, uh… if you don’t end up having plans, do you want to come to this thing… that’s happening at the Kuchiki estate? It’s, you know, a blossom viewing and, maybe, a little engagement party for, er, me…?” 

Hisagi’s expression, which had started out excited at the words ‘Kuchiki estate,’ ended up confused. “Engagement? Like, as in ‘engaged to be married’?”

“Yeah, uh, exactly like that,” Renji said, trying to sound a lot less awkward than he was feeling. It wasn’t working. In fact, at some point, he’d started swiveling his butt around in the chair like a kid. He put his hands on his desk to stop himself. “So… what do you think?”

Hisagi buried his fingers in spiky black hair and scratched his head. “Are you…? You’re getting MARRIED? Is that even legal?”

“Well, I mean, I guess not really? Urahara said he found a prefecture that accepts...uh, two guys wanting to get hitched,” Renji played with the pile of paperclips he had on his desk, not quite comfortable meeting Hisagi’s eyes. “But, that’s the Human World and I don’t know what counts, you know? Byakuya wants to adopt me, if you can believe that.”

“Byakuya wants to adopt you? Is this before or after you marry Rukia?”

Why did everyone always go there? “Dude. I just said ‘two guys.’ Did you forget that domestic you arrested me for? You know I’ve been seeing Byakuya.”

“You’re marrying the guy who hits you?”

“Oi, I hit him! And...yes?” Renji face flushed with heat. He grabbed the pile from his out-box and stood up. It was time to beat a hasty retreat. “Look, don’t come to the stupid party if you don’t want to, okay, sempai? It’s no skin off my nose. I got to go deliver this stuff to the First. Thanks for the cupcakes, I guess.”

Hisagi got up as Renji stomped past him. “Hey, sorry, man. I just… I guess I never had you pegged as the marrying sort.”

“Yeah, well, me neither,” Renji snipped, having paused at the doorway. “I don’t even know how I’m going to broach this to Ikkaku or any of those guys over at the Eleventh. They’re going to fucking laugh in my face.”

Hisagi followed him as Renji continued to the exit. The sun was bright outside and they both squinted in the sudden light. “Is this really a good idea?” Hisagi asked. “I mean, *is* it legal? He’s your commanding officer. It’s one thing to fuck around--”

It wasn’t like Renji didn’t have the same qualms, but it irritated him to hear them from a guy who was supposed to be his friend. “Listen, Mr. Sixty-Nine-On-His-Face, there is precedent. Kaien Shiba, who was a lieutenant, married his Third Seat.”

“I think they were married before they joined up.”

“Well, whatever. You can’t say there ain’t never been any married couples with direct command over each other is all I’m saying,” Renji groused. As they passed under the gate, Renji shouted up to the guards, “Oi, if the captain comes back tell him I’ve just popped out to deliver this week’s paperwork!”

A chorus of ‘yes, sir!’ came from the guard posts.

“You’re going to be a Kuchiki?” Hisagi continued. “I dunno, Renji. That’s kind of weird.”

“I don’t remember asking your opinion, Shū,” Renji said. “And, anyway, I’m keeping my name. I don’t think it’s weird. Why do you think it’s so damn weird?”

Hisagi shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s just that you’re both soldiers.”

“You mean both ‘men,’” Renji pointed out. Looking over at Hisagi, he realized he was looking down at the exact same angle he would Byakuya. Shit. Were they the same height? Renji tried not to consider that too hard, and turned away to focus his attention elsewhere, down the street. “‘Cuz, not five minutes ago, you were fine with the idea of me and Rukia.”

Hisagi shrugged. “Yeah, okay, I’ll admit it. That part is a little weird to me. I mean, sex, yes, but marriage. It’s… I don’t know.”

Says the guy who will totally take drunken blowjobs off me, Renji thought to himself. Which kind of proved the point. He sighed. “Aren’t you fucking your captain?”

“What? Where’d you get that?”

Renji had to give Hisagi a ‘are you kidding me?’ look. Then he pointed to the spot on his cheek where the sixty-nine tattoo would be. “I dunno, you finally got your sixty-nine, didn’t you, Shū? I figure it’s sixty-nining every night at the Ninth. You saying it’s not?”

“I am saving myself for Ms. Rangiku.”

“Uh-huh,” Renji gave Hisagi a sidelong glance. “In between sixty-nining it with Hottie Kensei Baking Boy.”

“Oi, that’s _Captain_ Hottie Kensei Baking Boy.”

That was his only response? Renji snorted, which finally broke the tension and the two of them laughed. They walked several more blocks before Renji had to add, “But, seriously, you’re hitting that, right?”

“Look, I would, but Mashiro is a total cockblock.”

Made sense. Renji could see that bug girl popping up anytime Hisagi was ready to confess. “Right, so you got nothing to judge,” Renji said. “Just come to the fucking party, sempai. Did I mention there would be free booze?”

“Shit, son. You buried the lede again. That’s all you had to say in the first place! Free beer? Of course I’ll be there!”

#

When the front gate informed Byakuya that Renji was out, he told them to send the lieutenant directly to his office immediately upon return. “Tell him it is quite urgent,” Byakuya insisted. 

The front guardsman asked, “Should I send a butterfly, sir?”

“Not that urgent, but thank you,” Byakuya said. 

Soi Fon had agreed that they would attempt to approach Aizen later this evening. She apparently needed to make some kind of arrangement with the ‘keyholder,’ whomever that might be, as well as Central--though who spoke for them currently, Byakuya was similarly uncertain.

Byakuya, meanwhile, had managed to convince Soi Fon that Zabimaru had unusually good instincts regarding Aizen and that Renji should definitely be part of their party. She’d made some disparaging commentary about Renji’s inability to win a fight, to which Byakuya countered ‘good thing we have no intention of fighting, then.’ He did NOT point out, though he had be sorely tempted, that she had had Aizen literally in her grasp on Sokyoku Hill and that hadn’t turned out so terribly well for her either, had it?

The captain’s office smelled of dust and disuse. Byakuya took a moment to open all the windows. He lit a few lanterns and then, after a ring to Aio or whoever was acting in her stead today, Byakuya settled down behind his desk. It had been almost a month?--or was it more?--since he’d spent any decent time in his office. Thanks to Renji’s diligent care, there were no administrative or budgetary accounts overdue. He had left several detailed meeting minutes and debriefings as well as an updated calendar and duty roster. Byakuya took the opportunity to catch up on those.

Renji arrived just ahead of the tea. 

There was some fussing as the nervous young woman--someone new with several braids in her long blonde hair--tried to not intrude or step in front of Renji while he was removing his sandals at the door. Finally, Renji just took the tray from the girl and said, “I’ve got it from here.”

She seemed uncertain, so Byakuya nodded. “The lieutenant is quite capable of bringing in the tea things. Thank you.”

The new servant bobbed her head furiously. “Is there anything else my lord requires?” She gave a funny glance up at Renji and said, “Only, I’m to tell you that the cook says she’s trying out a new taiyaki pan?”

“I love taiyaki!” Renji said enthusiastically.

Byakuya had hide a fond smile at that. “Yes, please. Thank Miki for her thoughtfulness.”

“Yeah!” Renji said, “Seriously! Yum! I can’t wait.” Setting down the tray deftly on a spot Byakuya cleared on the low table, Renji jerked his thumb in the direction of the open door the servant scurried out of. “Who’s that? Is Aio okay?”

“I gave her some time off,” Byakuya said, opening the cover of the teapot to check on the progress of the tea. “After yesterday’s incident, I thought she could use a few days away from my aunt.”

“Vacation and an apology?” Renji smiled as he settled cross-legged opposite Byakuya. “You sure you didn’t give that girl a heart attack?” 

Byakuya supposed he shouldn’t be surprised that Renji knew about the apology. It was very likely the talk of the estate. Byakuya couldn’t even entirely explain what had come over him this morning. All he could say in his defense was that he woke up profoundly angry at his aunt. He decided that the thing that she would hate more than anything in the world was if he prostrated himself before a ‘lowly’ servant. In the end, he’d only inclined his head somewhat. He might have done more, except that Aio already looked so terrified to find him in the servants’ quarters at all. She clutched her breast at the idea of paid vacation and he thought he might, indeed, cause her heart to explode if he’d dipped his head any further.

“Hopefully not,” was all Byakuya said, reaching to pour the tea and discovering that the new girl had not brought more than one bowl. Luckily, there were always sake bowls on the shelf beside his desk. Byakuya handed the filled bowl to Renji and grabbed a second for himself. Blowing the dust out of it, he cleaned it with the sleeve of his uniform. “It seems Aio’s services are not easily duplicated.”

Renji watched all of this with wide eyes. “You sure you don’t want me to take that one, Taicho?”

“It would take more than a bit of dust to kill me,” Byakuya said. “Besides, I want you well caffeinated and fed for tonight.”

Renji’s smile was wolfish. “Yeah? You got something special planned for us?”

“We’re going to see Aizen.”

Renji choked on his tea. “Aizen? Why?” Before Byakuya could explain, it seemed to occur to Renji. “Oh, jeez, you didn’t. You actually managed to convince Captain Soi Fon to go to the source?”

“There were a few problems between the tenshintai and Senbonzakura,” Byakuya explained. Renji opened his mouth in concern, but Byakuya waved him off. “We’re fine. But, this device… I can’t have it used on my Division. Especially not my Division. It’s been a long time, but there may be a few still serving who might remember Koga and his zanpakutō. I will not retraumatize anyone.”

“Koga…” Renji scratched at the edge of his sideburn. “That’s Masama’s husband’s name?”

“I’m officially not allowed to go into details,” Byakuya said. Finally finding the sake bowl clean enough to pour tea into, he set it down. “Suffice to say, the tenshintai copies certain outlawed abilities. Soi Fon has been forced to agree that its use would be detrimental to the psyche of our people. In exchange, we will accompany her when she approaches Aizen in Muken, tonight.”

Renji leaned back and took a long sip of tea. “Wow. Tonight.”

“It was decided that we should not delay.” Byakuya poured the tea. Picking it up, he blew away the steam. “With the holiday fast approaching, we agreed it would be wisest to simply strike while the moment was upon us.”

“Didn’t want to chicken out later, huh?”

“Precisely.”

#

Renji had meant to mention having invited Hisagi to the engagement party, but it got lost in the talk about preparing for Aizen. Byakuya had wanted to look up some high-level bakudō spell, which had left Renji cooling his heels at the front gate of the Sixth, waiting for this ‘keymaster’ to arrive.

Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake came strolling up to the gate together.

Bad timing, Renji thought. Tonight was not the night to entertain these two over sake and dinner. He stood up and bowed to them both, anyway. “Uh, we’re actually heading out soon, captains.”

Kyōraku’s belly laugh was as broad as the slap on Renji’s back. “We know, my dear boy! I’m the keyholder.”

Ukitake smiled and touched his nose, “I just thought it would be nice to tag along and see how Sōsuke-kun is holding up.”

“Plus, we could use the back-up if things go pear-shaped,” Kyōraku added jovially. 

“Uh… okay,” Renji said, still sort of stunned by Captain Ukitake’s casual use of Aizen’s first name. “Byakuya is just doing some last minute prep. He should be here any moment.” Renji glanced up at the gate guard and gave them a little ‘go fetch him! Pronto!’ glare. The guard seemed to understand and took off with a bow. “So, uh… do you--?” Should he invite them in? Offer something? “I mean… Should I get some tea or…?”

“We’re fine here,” Ukitake insisted.

“I was going to ask for sake,” Kyōraku pouted. “The Kuchiki brewery isn’t something I have access to every day, you know!”

“And, yet you could,” Byakuya said, coming up, the harried guard giving Renji a nod before heading back to their post. “You are always welcome, of course.” Byakuya nodded at Ukitake, “The both of you. But, the offer will have to wait. We are waiting here for a keymaster, I’m afraid.”

“That’s me,” Kyōraku said happily. “We’re meeting Captain Soi Fon at the entrance to Muken. I hope you’re ready for this. We may all want a lot of sake afterwards!”

#

The sun was starting to set by the time they flashed over to the entrance of the great prison. The tower cast a long shadow that made Renji shiver. It reminded him a little of the Senzaikyū, the white tower he’d transferred Rukia to… except it was almost more terrifying, just standing alone, as it did, in the courtyard of the First Division.

There was something, too, a general feeling of unease, that sort of permeated the very ground they walked on. Heavy and dark, it seemed to pull at Renji’s soul.

“Ah!” Ukitake said. Lifting his foot gingerly, he waved at the ground. “It seems Sōsuke-kun knows we’re coming!”

“That’s his reiatsu?” Renji stared at the ground in horror. He hadn’t been feeling overly confident about any part of this little foray, but now Renji wanted to turn tail and run for the hills. 

But, Soi Fon approached them now, looking grim and confident, so Renji squared his shoulders and put his hand on Zabimaru for comfort.

Kyōraku gave Renji’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “Don’t worry, my dear boy. If he goes for anyone’s throat it will be mine. I hold the keys to his jail cell, after all.”

Renji thought about blustering that he wasn’t afraid, but there was no point in lying.

“Normally weapons aren’t allowed past this point,” Soi Fon told them, as she made some complex Kidō gesture to open the door. “But, it was deemed a necessary precaution in this case.”

The five of them squeezed into a small space that Renji first mistook for an antechamber. When the doors slide shut and the floor seemed to drop out beneath them, Renji realized they were in an elevator. The surprise of the movement had him instinctively grabbing Byakuya’s hand for support. Realizing what he’d done, Renji tried to let go, but Byakuya held on. In fact, Byakuya inched forward a step, so that their shoulders also touched. 

Ukitake decided this was a nice time to make chit-chat. “How are the blossoms coming in your orchard, Byakuya?”

“Fine,” Byakuya said. Then, clearing his throat, he let go of Renji’s hand. “The head gardener says they will be at peak next week.”

“Lovely!”

Kyōraku leaned one of his massive shoulders against the wall, and tucked his arms into his sleeves. “It’s a shame that Shinobu and I will be at the High Court. I understand you’re entertaining at home, for once.”

“It’s an in-gathering of hostages,” Byakuya said. “But, yes, there will be a celebration, as well. Renji and I are having an engagement party.”

Renji sputtered. Was this the place to mention that? His stomach did a flip as his face tried to decide between a bright red blush and paling in horror. Meanwhile, Ukitake clapped his hands in delight. Kyouraku stood up straighter and gave Renji’s shoulder another pounding. Soi Fon tisked her tongue and looked away in disgust.

“Well done, boys! Well done!” Kyōraku said happily. “We will have to crack that barrel tonight, won’t we? Celebrate making it official!”

“That is what the party is meant to do,” Byakuya noted dryly.

“Come now, Mr. Byakuya! Surely, this is worth tipping a few back!” Kyōraku said.

“Taking out the garbage is enough reason for you to tip a few back,” Byakuya said.

Ukitake put a hand on Byakuya’s shoulder, “Oh, don’t be so stingy, Byakuya. I think it’s a lovely idea. Besides, I’m sure we’ll have lots to discuss!”

“Very well,” Byakuya said as the elevator seem to slow its descent. “You’re invited as well, Captain Soi Fon. Both to the engagement party, as well as to whatever informal thing happens tonight.”

“Oh,” she said, somewhat taken aback. “Well… that is, I’ll… check my calendar.”

The doors swished open into complete darkness.

“Welcome to my humble abode.” 

It was Aizen’s voice, but somehow not. The sound seemed to come from somewhere inside Renji’s head. Shit! Aizen hadn’t mastered telepathy all of a sudden, had he?

“I see we’ve been practicing our reiatsu manipulation, Mr. Sōsuke.” Kyōraku said his voice a clever purr Renji had never heard before. “All our eardrums at once, I’d hazard to guess, given everyone’s shocked expressions. Very precise. Well done.”

Renji stepped out of the elevator with the others. He moved carefully, uncertain where the floor was. Soi Fon stood by the elevator, her foot holding the door open. Its feeble light cast everything in a murky relief. There was a kind of mummified body shape standing, arms outstretched, several yards away. Black strips of some kind of restraints covered every inch of the lithe form. No skin was visible at all, only hideous wrappings. Was this Aizen? How did he even breathe?

“I understand congratulations are in order,” Aizen’s disembodied voice said. 

Byakuya stepped forward as if ready to rush up to the mummified form of Aizen. Kyōraku’s hand shot out to stop him. Kyōraku shook his head in a ‘don’t let him goad you’ way.

“Listening to us now, too, Sōsuke? Really. How rude,” Kyōraku said. “Especially as I went to the all the trouble of getting permission from Central to unlock an ear.” Turning to glance over his shoulder at Soi Fon, Kyōraku added, “Make arrangements with the Kidō Commander, if you would be so kind, Captain Soi Fon. It seems our little prison is in need of fine tuning.”

There was a discordant rumbling sound that had Renji covering his ears. 

“Mmmm. I’m still working on my laughter,” Aizen’s voice said. “It’s a complex sound to duplicate with just eardrum vibrations to work with. Intonations and nuances are difficult as well. I find I’m yet incapable of sarcasm.”

Kyōraku laughed at that. “Well, there’s some comfort.”

“The loneliness and sensory deprivation hasn’t driven you mad yet?” Ukitake asked.

“I’m sorry if I disappoint you, Captain Ukitake,” Aizen said. “As it so happens, I have always been my own best company. So, what brings you to me, Captains, Lieutenant? Don’t tell me it’s already been 20,000 years. How unfortunate to find you all still living after so much time. I certainly thought Abarai would’ve run unthinkingly into an untimely death by now.”

“It’s only been a few months, Sōsuke-kun,” Ukitake said sadly.

“Ah. Alas,” Aizen said. 

“We want to know who you placed post-hypnotic suggestions into,” Soi Fon said from her place in the back, guarding their exit. “All of them. A list of names, Aizen.” 

“Hinamori Momo,” Aizen said. “Orihime Inoue. Grimmjow Jaegeraquez. Shinji Hirako. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Kenpachi Zaraki. Unohana Retsu. Yoruichi Shihōin. Ichigo Kurosaki. Let’s see,” he paused. “Who else would it behoove me to discredit? How about yourselves, Captains Kyōraku, Kuchiki, Soi Fon? Would you like the honor? Please tell me that your plan to dispose of this threat is a summary execution. If so, let me name a few more. Who else am I threatened by? Hmmm, no, that’s about it. Sorry, Renji.”

“Fuck off!” Renji said. “I’ll show you threat!”

Renji didn’t even know he was stepping forward, drawing Zabimaru, until he felt two sets of hands holding him back. Byakuya had one arm, Ukitake the other.

“I told you this was useless,” Soi Fon snarled.

“Not at all,” Aizen said. “This is highly entertaining...and quite curious. It makes me wonder what kind of trouble you’re having upstairs. People misbehaving, are they? Acting out of character? What crimes are you attempting to lay at my feet this time, I wonder.”

“Nothing you’re not guilty of,” Soi Fon shot back.

“I hope you’re right, Captain,” Aizen said. “Otherwise you look like a fool, jumping at shadows. Speaking of shadows…. Heard anything from our friends, Shunsui?”

“Oh, ho-ho. Time to go!” Kyōraku announced.

**Author's Note:**

> I have to thank [Bleach Headcanons](https://bleachedheadcanons.tumblr.com)/ [kailthia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kailthia/pseuds/kailthia) for her contribution to this story: the idea that Kensei stress bakes and the 9th is in a semi-constant state of "cupcake emergency." If you aren't reading Bleach Headcanons on Tumblr, YOU SHOULD.
> 
> Also I neglected to thank Josey for her continued help typo-ing and sound boarding and generally awesome friendship the last few times, but KNOW THAT JOSEY IS ALWAYS AWESOME (even if I forget to say so.)


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